Images

Baker Slide Collection

Everett Baker was born in Blue Earth County, Minnesota on January 29, 1893. He graduated, in 1916, from Hamline University of St. Paul, with a Bachelor of Science degree. Originally, Baker came to Saskatchewan as a Book Agent for the R.C. Barnum Company of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1918, he married Ruth Hellebo, and the couple settled on a farm in the Aneroid district to raise their family.

From 1935, until his retirement in 1957, Baker worked as a Field Man for the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. His travels allowed him to capture thousands of photographs of the social, natural and historic development of Saskatchewan. During this time, he also became widely recognized for his presentations in local community halls. People flocked to hear him speak and see his presentation of slides and silent movies. The movies were usually powered by a noisy portable motor in the back seat of Baker’s car!

His skill as an amateur historian was also widely recognized. In 1955, Baker self-published Trails and Traces of Rupert’s Land and The North-West Territories as seen from 1940-1955.

In 1957, Everett Baker became the first president of the newly-formed Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society. Under the auspices of the SHFS, he marked the NWMP Trail from Wood Mountain to Fort Walsh. In recognition of this work, he received an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.

Besides his active interest in social history preservation, Everett respected natural history and conservation. His work in this aspect lead to the creation of the Pine Cree Park.

Shortly before his death, in 1981, Everett Baker gifted his collection of 11,000 slides to the Co-operative College of Canada. The collection found its way to SHFS, and pictorial presentations of Saskatchewan heritage were made available again to the public, as always intended by Everett Baker.

The Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society would like to acknowledge and thank the Western Development Museum for their assistance in digitizing the complete Everett Baker Slide Collection, thereby enabling us place this collection on-line for all to enjoy.

Click here for an oral history recording of Everett Baker discussing “Early Photography of Saskatchewan’s People.”

Everett Baker Slides on DVD

A series of Baker slide vignettes appeared on the Saskatchewan Communications Network (SCN). 3rd Eye Media Productions has worked very closely with SHFS to produce ten vignettes, including themes such as Couples, The Co-op, Houses, Families and Work are featured. These colour images depict everyday life in Saskatchewan during the 1940s & ’50s and are set to beautiful music. A DVD of these picture vignettes can be purchased for $40.00, which includes taxes & shipping.

Please send a cheque or money order payable to SHFS.
Mail to Saskatchewan History & Folklore Society
1860 Lorne Street
Regina, SK, S4P 2L7
Alternatively, you may call the SHFS office at (306)780-9204 (toll free 1-800-919-9437) to make payment by credit card.